It was late at night, and the lights were still on in a relatively neat small single-family courtyard in Zhaoji Lane, Nancheng City, Yingtian Mansion.
A boy of thirteen or fourteen years old, with a round face and an honest face, quickly rushed back and forth to pack and salute. After a while, several packages were placed on the table in the main room.
Han Kezhong held his chin with one hand and sat quietly on the threshold looking at the night sky without saying a word.
"Sir Uncle Qi, we have only rented this house for a few days and we are about to return it. What will the landlord say when he comes?" The boy finished his work and drank half a bowl of herbal tea, dragging his cheeks and sitting next to Han Kezhong.
superior.
Nancheng is not a place where dignitaries and dignitaries live. Renting a house here is cheap. But even for such a cheap house, one year's rent plus the deposit will cost Han Kezhong a lot of money.
Rich pockets.
Today I received the oracle and am about to set off south, and there will be a lot of expenses on the way.
"This capital city is better than our hometown, but everything is so expensive!" The boy said with his fingers beside Han Kezhong, "You haven't received your salary until now. You brought it from your hometown.
It’s a waste of money.”
As he spoke, he sighed heavily and said a little aggrievedly, "Before I came here, the clan leader told me that you, the little six, got it and got lucky. Our Han family has not produced the number one scholar for many years.
, if you go to serve the Number One Scholar, you will have a promising future and fall into a nest of fortune!"
At this point, Xiao Liuzi spread his hands and said, "Seventh uncle, I came from my hometown full of joy. I didn't see your majesty as an official. It's a pity that you didn't even eat a few bites of meat!"
Bounce, Han Kezhong banged his head directly on Xiao Liuzi’s head.
"You're the only one who talks too much!" Han Kezhong said with a sullen face, "Who told you that being an official means enjoying happiness?" He then pinched the other person's face and said, "If you don't want to be by my side, go back to your hometown and see if the patriarch will beat you up.
!”
Xiao Liuzi seemed to be more afraid of the patriarch than the seventh uncle who was an official in front of him. He immediately curled his lips and said, "I'm not afraid of the patriarch beating me. I'm just afraid that the patriarch will tell my father that my father used a rolling pin to peel me!" As he said this, his eyes rolled.
Dong Dong said, "Master Qijiu, if you go to the south this time, will Long Live Lord give you a promotion?"
Han Kezhong sighed slightly, "Well, a sixth-grade inspection censor!"
"My dear mother, this is going to cost your life!" Xiao Liuzi shouted and stood up, "Seventh uncle, you are now the royal censor. My dear mother, you are now the great master of Qingtian. This is a great thing. Give it to the family.
Did you deliver the letter? If the old patriarch knew, his beard would burst into tears with laughter!" He clasped his hands together and said, "Forefathers on high, my seventh uncle is now the Grand Master of Qingtian. Our Han family is really going to be prosperous.
Got it!"
No wonder Xiao Liuzi made such a fuss, the censor's status in the Ming Dynasty was very high.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the inspection censors in various places were personally selected by the old man from the Imperial College and sent to the local areas to supervise the government officials. If someone broke the law in the local area, the chief minister did not necessarily have the right to directly kill people. Most of them took the person into custody and reported it to the Ministry of Punishment.
But if the inspection censor knows about it, he can directly execute the law on the spot without going to the Dali Temple of the Ministry of Punishment.
Regardless of whether civil or military officials meet the censor, they must be courteous.
"What are you talking about?" Han Kezhong frowned and scolded, scratching his head with his big hands.
"Master Qijiu, why are you unhappy?" Xiao Liuzi asked.
"Hey!" Han Kezhong sighed, "You don't know, the cost in that place in the south is more than in the capital. When we go out, we have to spend our own money for food, clothing, housing and transportation. Where does the money come from?"
Xiao Liuzi lowered his head and rolled his eyes, "Why don't you write a letter back to your hometown?"
"No, my hometown just sold a few acres of land and gave me money as a gift. How can I ask for more!" Han Kezhong said.
"Hey, the clan wanted to collect money for you, but you didn't want it!" Xiao Liuzi said in a low voice.
Ever since the news that Han Kezhong won the top prize came back to his hometown, everyone in the clan, county, and prefecture was in a state of panic. The county gave money, and the prefect gave money. The money had to be collected because it was used for
There is an archway outside Hanjiazhuang.
There are also many relatives who are out of reach of the family. Some people want to go to his hometown to enjoy the autumn breeze, and some people want to put the land in his name for tax exemption.
The clan leader also said that the clan would work together to buy the champion a yard in the capital.
But Han Kezhong did not dare to accept this money.
If you accept it today, you may have a favor to repay tomorrow.
"I remember I still have a few leather robes at home!" Han Kezhong thought about it, "I can't wear them this season anyway, so I'll find a place to pawn them and collect some money around me."
At this moment, footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate.
Then a man in his fifties walked in with a smile and said, "I heard that you want to quit the rent, so I came here to take a look. But you don't live well, so why are you neglecting me?"
This man was the landlord. In fact, he didn't know that his tenant was the No. 1 scholar in Jinke's Beiping list. He only knew that he was a minor official in the Yamen.
In the capital, there are as many officials as dogs. The lives of some officials are not as comfortable as those of ordinary people.
Han Kezhong stood up and saluted, "Master, please sit down while Liuzi watches tea!"
Xiao Liuzi agreed and went to prepare tea.
"Look, that's what happened! As for me..." Han Kezhong smiled and said in Mandarin as much as possible, "I'm going to Beijing for business soon, and this house cannot be rented. I'm looking for you today.
It means canceling the rent. You see, I have lived here for less than a month, so I have to pay one month in advance for the house. After all, I left suddenly, and it will be difficult for you to find a tenant."
"Well, you are an official, so you are reasonable!" the landlord said with a smile.
"It should!" Han Kezhong smiled again, "Look at the deposit..."
"What deposit?" The landlord stopped laughing immediately and took out the lease document from his sleeve. "Although you are an official, you still have to be reasonable. It is written clearly in black and white. The deposit is not enough until the lease expires.
Don’t retreat!”
With that said, he handed it to Han Kezhong, "Look, your signatures are all there!"
Han Kezhong was not good at words and felt his face was getting hot, "Yes, yes, but after all, I..."
"You won't rent this month, and I have to look for other tenants. To be honest, I will still suffer a loss if I have to calculate the accounts carefully!" The landlord was eloquent, "This is neither the beginning nor the end of the year, so where can I find rent?"
Are you a guest?"
"Even though you are an official, I am a common man, but there is no reason why I should suffer in vain!"
Han Kezhong was so stunned that he couldn't help but say, "I'm not asking you to withdraw completely!"
"I don't have a big buck!" The landlord put the promise into his arms, "I'm telling you. Either you sublet it, or you leave, or you live in it. It's written clearly in black and white, even if
I’m not afraid of trouble with the government!”
"Look!" Han Kezhong was so crowded that his face turned red.
"You can't say that!" Xiao Liuzi came out from behind and stared, "We have lived here for less than a month, and we will pay one month's rent. You can return some of the deposit to us. As the saying goes, friendship cannot be achieved after business, so you
You won’t suffer any loss either!”
"Children, adults, please go away!" The landlord sneered, "You think this is your countryside, this is the capital. You must follow the rules when talking and doing things. Do you understand the rules?" He shook his head and stood up, "Mr. Han, you are not a little old man.
If I don’t give you this face, the rules are the rules.”
At this moment, another voice suddenly came from outside.
"The landlord is bullying! How much does your house cost? I'll buy it!"